A man of his time: Ranking the best versions of the Joker, Batman’s Enemy No. 1

George Thomas, Akron Beacon Journal

Thursday

Oct 3, 2019 at 2:20 PM

Depending on which form of media counted, close to 20 actors have provided body or voice to a portrayal of arguably the most popular villain in comic book lore — the Joker.

There’s the obvious: film (Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, Jared Leto); television both live and animated (Caesar Romero, Mark Hamill), direct-to-video and video games (Michael Emerson of “Lost”).

As often happens in mass media, not all performances are created equal and, surprisingly, some of the best performances come in a genre that a lot of fans wouldn’t consider.

Joker represents an iconic role, one deserving of an actor of depth and breadth to portray him. That’s why it’s exciting to see an actor with the chops that Joaquin Phoenix owns tackle the part in the eponymous “Joker” which opened on area screens Friday.

The “Clown Prince of Crime,” as he was nicknamed in the wretched 1960s-era “Batman” TV series starring Adam West, represents what could be the most well-known villain in comic book history. Depending on the time of the portrayal, the character is often a living metaphor for the time in which the movie or TV series in which he appeared is made.

So which actors brought the most to the part? Of course this is subjective and feel free to let the opinions or hate (less of this, please) fly. Here are my best five portrayals of Batman’s arch nemesis in order:

Mark Hamill (“Batman: The Animated Series,” 1992-95): Yes, that Mark Hamill. The portrayer of Luke Skywalker himself lays claim to another iconic role and deservedly so. He lends his inestimable voice skills to a legendary animated series that is considered one of the best iterations of the Dark Knight ever. His Joker is playful, but deadly, everything the role should be. Hamill provides a unique take on the character, making him unpredictable, occasionally sympathetic and all bad within the confines of what some consider “nothing but a cartoon.” The show and performance rise way above those characterizations.

Heath Ledger (“The Dark Knight,” 2008): Some consider Ledger’s portrayal the quintessential performance of the character and with good reason. He won the Academy Award posthumously for his efforts, officially giving the comic book movie genre respect. This is a perfect example of Joker being a man of his time. Ledger offers a nihilistic take on the character with no backstory only mystery (making him that much more terrifying) about a man who “wants to watch the world burn,” according to Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine), Bruce Wayne/Batman’s (Christian Bale), faithful butler. He embodied the terror and paranoia gripping a post-9/11 world and does so brilliantly, setting what many consider an incredibly high bar.

Jack Nicholson (“Batman,” 1989): When Tim Burton cast Michael Keaton in the titular role of Batman, howls escaped from the lips of fans. Considering this was pre-Internet, that’s something to be said. Burton met with universal praise for casting Nicholson, an actor extraordinaire, who already owned two Oscars at that point. Many consider Burton’s take on “Batman” the first serious version. I tend to consider it campier than it’s given credit. Nicholson, however, was on point. The living piece of artwork he turned his girlfriend (Jerry Hall) into is positively chilling. Couple that with his compulsion to kill without hesitation further illustrates that fact.

Joaquin Phoenix (“Joker,” 2019): Of all of the portrayals, none may be more of its time or moment than Phoenix’s. His Joker is a man pushed beyond his limits and comprehension. He’s a cautionary tale, representing what seems to have become a permanent underclass in the past few years. Stripped of a social safety net, rendered mute by society in general, he’s what happens when everything becomes just too much to bear. He’s also the type that deserves to be locked up because once a person reaches that point, a certain screw-it-all attitude takes the place of reason. In a good movie, Phoenix brings that sense of danger and hopelessness to the forefront.

Cameron Monaghan (“Gotham,” 2014-19): The veteran of Showtime’s “Shameless” delivered an unhinged, sociopathic turn as the brothers Valeska, Jeremiah and Jerome. The unique part about the effort: the creators of “Gotham” never let slip until the last possible moment which brother actually evolved into the Joker. It certainly made for fun for fans. After that, it’s pure delight. The only frustrating part: due to contractual limitations, the show’s creators were never able to officially name him the Joker. But we knew (wink, wink).

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